House Lightglow
House Lightglow is a small Thalassian family, having possessed wider holdings early in the kingdom's existence, with a number of survivors enduring the long crossing, House Lightglow held onto a straight of conservationism among the vast cultural changes after the founding of the High Kingdom as did Sun Matriarch A'malia Firesong of House of Firesong. With the support of House Lightglow and other conservative families, the remote enclave of Ashal'Thalas was established on the isolated east coast of the modern Ghostlands. House Lightglow was a power in its own right for several thousand years, with holdings north of Ashal'Thalas and to the west in the Southern Greenwood (modern Ghostlands). The Lightglow Estate in the Northlands of Ashal'Thalas held verdant fields when the elves arrived and took well to crops, though over the eons the north of Ashal'Thalas grew drier and more arid, House Lightglow steadily reducing their presence outside Ashal'Thalas as incomes from the manor fell. House Lightglow was and is a gritty, survival oriented House, and adapted by taking to shepherding and tailoring, committing the bulk of the resources to the defense of Ashal'Thalas, in time taking a leading role among the Bailan Guard, principle infantry and mounted defenders of Ashal'Thalas alongside the ranger-oriented Emberstriders. =Gender Balance= House Lightglow was a minor though respected and independent house until approximately 400 years prior to the sack of Quel'Thalas. Over the years, House Lightglow, for reasons undetermined, produced fewer and fewer male children, until Lord Dar'lemar Lightglow, having borne twelve daughters, was faced with the real extinction of a family and legacy which has survived Queen Azshara, the long crossing, and the Troll Wars. Dar'lemar sought the council of his friend, Lord Xarian Firesong, then ruler of Ashal'Thalas and House of Firesong, and father to Entilzha Firesong & Salandra Firesong. Dar'lemar had thought to seek a monument or other small token to House Lightglow in Ba'ladeni or Ember Watch, the major population centers of Ashal'Thalas, hoping even if his name died, his legacy, if small, would live on. Lord Xarian harshly rebuked this, citing the eons long friendship between their houses, and the increasingly valuable role House Lightglow's women, many of them priestesses and lightwielders, played in the Bailan Guard. Xarian proposed the following solution; House Lightglow would swear loyalty to House Firesong and enter into a vassalship, though without taxation on their estates, instead seeking the continued support of increasingly valued Lightglow Priestesses to the Bailan Guard and general defense readiness of Ashal'Thalas. House Firesong would in exchangebexercise a rare provision; Ashal'Thalas was long considered part of Quel'Thalas and very much is in a de-facto sense, though from the enclave's beginnings as a conservative enclave, is formally a sovereign viscounty governed by the Lords of House Firesong. Xarian agreed to permit one Lightglow woman, upon marrying a male of common birth, often from the military as Lightglow grew increasingly into a military and shepherding family, formally specified as the third daughter following two previous female births, though in practice the Matriarchs of House Lightglow were permitted wide latitude in selecting the daughter whom best carried on the ancient legacy of House Lightglow, and typically of noted service in the Bailan Guard. Provisions also allowed for a second, should the first chosen daughter prove unable to have male or female children. Children outside of the dispensation would take their father's name, as was custom. Should a Lightglow Matriarch produce a male child, their rights to leadership would of course return, though oddly there have been no male children born to the Lightglow line, bearing the name or not, since Dar'lemar. The commonality of light magic affinity among the girls increased, though no cause to this oddity has ever been determined. =Legacy= Dar'lemar Lightglow was deeply grateful to his friend Xarian, and pledged House Lightglow eternally to House Firesong and the safety & security of their mutual home in Ashal'Thalas. Dar'lemar's youngest daughter Korine, the only not to be yet married, did so with a common borne lover from her service in the Bailan Guard. Stylized Lady Korine Lightglow and upon her father's death 350 years prior to the sack, Korine, a career soldier in full Bailan guard attire, paid honor to her father Dar'lemar in a ceremony beside Bailas Firesong. Bearing a total of seven daughters, Korine did much to establish the uniqueness of House Lightglow as a matriarchal line in Quel'Thalas, impressing the virtue of military service as well as keeping the sheep and doing what was needed to survive as they always had. Korine bore seven daughters, the third being current matriarch Israai Lightglow. All served in the Bailan Guard, with a number falling during the sack of Quel'Thalas, despite Ashal'Thalas being across the mountains from the main invasion force, their duty to Quel'Thalas was deep. Israai Lightglow rose to Captain of the Bailan Guard, and alongside Ranger-Captain Thendrian, is among the most powerful officers in Ashal'Thalas, and was deeply impacted by the deep losses incurred in the Ghostlands Campaign. Showing a military resolve that has become much the hallmark of House Lightglow, Israai works tirelessly to rebuild the Bailan Guard, and strongly supports the Thera-dora and alliance with House Devaux, whom have no practical authority over House Lightglow but as allies of House Firesong are shown deference. Israai has shown little interest in marriage, if the matter has been impressed on her by Entilzha Firesong, with whom she shares a friendship akin to that of her own father and Entilzha's father Xarian. Israai hopes to focus on her military career with her youngest sister Biandra of child bearing age and with suitors, it appears likely that Biandra Lightglow will carry on this unique Thalassian family. Lightglow Lightglow Lightglow Category:House of Firesong Category: Ashal'Thalas